Brothel in Wellington, New Zealand

New Zealand decriminalised prostitution with the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, in force from 28 June 2003. Selling and buying sex, street-based work, brothels and escort agencies are lawful, and contracts for sexual services are enforceable. Up to four sex workers who each keep their own earnings may work together without an operator; anyone else running a business of prostitution needs an annual operator certificate from the District Court. Councils may make bylaws on brothel location and sex-industry signage. Advertising is banned on radio, television and in cinemas and limited to the classified section of newspapers and periodicals; online advertising is not restricted by the Act. Section 19 bars temporary visa holders from sex work on pain of deportation; the UN women's rights committee asked for change in 2018, and in 2023 the government reported no reform under way. Source: Prostitution Laws (prostitutionlaws.org), https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/, reviewed 2026-11-04, CC BY 4.0.